iPod Challenge
by Izzy Gerard
Summary: Ten chapters. Ten songs. One terrible, terrible summary. Please read! Rated "T" for sexual references in the last chapter.
1. Chapter 1

iPod Challenge

**Homecoming – Hey Monday**

I stepped off the bus, looking around at my old house. I sighed and grabbed my bag form the bottom, inhaling deeply. I was nervous as hell because, after four years of college, I wondered how much my flock had changed. I walked up the steps towards the red door and green porch, murmuring quiet reassurances to myself.

I mean, I had emailed Fang and the flock all the time, but I haven't tangibly been with them since I left freshman year for NYU. I got a major in acting and I minored in martial arts, not surprising for anyone.

"You can do this, Max, it's just the flock." I inhaled and raised my hand, but quickly withdrew it. What would they think of my pink streak in my hair? What about my eyebrow ring? Or my tattoo on my hip? Jeez, this was nerve-wracking. I shook my limbs out and sighed for the eleventh time that hour. I raised my hand again to knock, but then the door swung open, revealing an incredibly tall guy, grinning.

"Hey, Max."

Fang.


	2. Chapter 2

**Starts with Goodbye – Carrie Underwood**

I sighed and walked across the lawn, kicking at the grass. The leaves were changing and I knew that fall was coming. And with fall came the anniversary.

The anniversary of Fang leaving.

"Why did you do this to me?" I asked the air. I ran a hand through my blonde hair. I had dyed a light blue streak through it and cut it. I had an earring on the top of my ear and a tattoo of a pair of wings on my hipbone. I was wearing a gray t-shirt and black skinny jeans with my black Converses.

"Why did you leave?" I repeated that question for five years.

But this time there was an answer. "I don't know." The voice said and I turned around to see a tall guy with black, close-cropped hair.

"Fang?" I asked and he nodded.

"Like the haircut?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Awake and Alive – Skillet**

Fang did pull-ups, the music blasting through his room. _Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine. _It was just repetitions. Fang's muscles rippled as he closed his eyes and went faster. The sweat trickled down his forehead and down his exposed torso.

"Fang, turn it down!" Max yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Make me!" He called back. He heard footsteps up the stairs and he smirked, going even faster than before.

"Fine, I'm going to— whoa." She muttered and Fang resisted laughing. He and Max had been dating for at least a year and she still wasn't used to seeing his abs. They were pretty awesome though.

He hopped down and walked over. "Like what you see?" He asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Don't flatter yourself." She scoffed, but faltered. "Okay, maybe I do."


	4. Chapter 4

**Bust Your Windows – Glee Cast**

I ran across the street, clad in black, as Fang followed, laughing. "That was awesome!" He screamed once we were far enough away.

"Tell me about it! Oh, Dylan is going to hate us!" I cackled. Dylan was this guy in my English class that didn't understand that Fang and I were dating and that meant I was off-limits. So, after the twenty-seventh time he'd asked me out, Fang and I slashed his tires and egged the inside of his car. We also covered his seats in whipped cream and honey.

"Classic." He collapsed on the grass of Central Park, catching his breath. "Hey look, there's a Ferrari."

"Um, there isn't a Ferrari, Fang." I laughed. "Cars on the brain."

"Actually, cars aren't on my brain anymore." He admitted.

"And what _is_ on your brain?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Take a guess."


	5. Chapter 5

**Dream On – Glee Cast**

I sometimes dreamed of my flock having a good, natural, normal life. Angel would be worrying about which pink she should wear or which teddy bear to sleep with at night. Gazzy's biggest worry was when he could go and buy the newest Bionicle. Nudge would be more concerned with fashion than dying everyday. Iggy would know his surroundings better and would have permanent assistance instead of having to learn the location every time we changed places. Fang would be playing moody, angst-y, depressing music on a black Les Paul in an emo band and would possibly be on his rise to fame. I would be worrying about boys and if I would go to someone's Halloween party instead of how I would get the blood out of my dirty hair. We wouldn't have to worry about saving the world. We wouldn't have to think about dying today or tomorrow. We wouldn't be wondering if crazy, bloodthirsty, demonic wolves would kill in our sleep or capture us for crazy, twisted scientific experiments conducted by my own father.

But hey, a girl can dream, right?


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome To The Black Parade – MCR**

I was crying silently as Ari's body was lowered into the ground. "I'll miss you, Ari." I whispered. Fang put his hand on my shoulder, his version of a hug, and I exhaled.

"I know it's hard, Max. But, I'm here." He replied. I turned to him, eyes swimming in salty tears.

"You will? You won't leave like before?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I'll never leave you again, I promise. I'm here as long as you want me." I nodded and buried my face in his shirt. He slowly wrapped his arms around me and I shuddered, my shoulders shaking as he held me. He kissed the top of my head, murmuring those reassurances that no one wants to hear like, "It'll be okay" and "It'll get easier." But I knew there was truth behind one of them.

"I'm here for you." He muttered and I knew he was serious. I knew he meant that and, because of that, I knew he would always be there for me, no matter how many times I pushed him away. Then I realized… I didn't want to push him away anymore. I _loved _him. I loved Fang.

"I love you." I muttered and he nodded.

"I know. I love you, too." I looked up to him and he kissed my tears away. "Always."


	7. Chapter 7

**Running Away – Midnight Hour**

We were on the run again. We were on the run from Erasers, Flyboys, M-Geeks, Itex, Mr. Chu, and everything we'd ever been running from. But I was running away from something else, something scarier than death.

Love.

Fang had kissed me at least twice and I'd kissed him once and all three times, I'd been either scared or I'd run away. Then there was the whole Valium incident where I told him I loved him and the Lissa/Brigid ordeal, which put my in an even _more_ difficult situation than simply kissing him.

But if I knew all of this, why weren't we together already? Well, my friends, that's because the infamous, great, all-too-modest Maximum Ride was scared of falling in love. I was terrified, actually.

"Max, what's wrong?" Fang sat next to me. I shrugged, snapping out of my gaze. "Max, tell me." I rolled my eyes and looked at him.

"I just have some things on my mind." I shrugged indifferently.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Just stuff." _You_. "It's not important." _It's all I ever think about. _"You should get back to watching the flock." _You should stay with me. _"Go on." _Don't leave me._


	8. Chapter 8

**If You're Leavin' – Gloriana**

We walked into the restaurant, country music playing loudly. "Jeez, this music is loud." Iggy noted, gritting his teeth.

"Sorry, Ig." I patted his shoulder. He shook his head. We all took our seats and ordered drinks. I was so nervous. This was the bar I normally sang at, using my alias. Yes, I was a famous singer. No, the flock had no clue it was me who sang their favorite songs.

"And now we have our favorite singer, Mandy Martin!" The announcer exclaimed. My song started playing and I immediately knew Cole, my best friend, had put me up to this. I rolled my eyes and stood up, singing the verse. The flock's eyes widened and I smiled and them, winked at Fang, and ran up on the stage to sing. My band came out and I laughed with them at my flock's faces. Even Fang, the stoic and expressionless rock, was completely shocked and his eyes were the size of dinner plates. I saw Cole snap some pictures. This. Was. Priceless.


	9. Chapter 9

**Shameless – All Time Low**

"Well, then I guess Brigid and you have something in common if she's so rude!" Fang yelled.

"You are such an idiot! Can't you see that she's all over you?" I asked.

"Why should you care? You're not my girlfriend so why should you be so protective over who flirts with me and if I flirt back?" He countered. I growled at his question.

"You didn't answer my question." I shot back.

"Mine is vital so I can answer yours." He glared. I groaned.

"Fang, you're being so immature!" I shrieked.

"I'm not the one who's obsessing over her best friend flirting with some other girl!" He exclaimed.

"Well, what if I don't want to be just best friends?" I screamed. He immediately shut his mouth.

"Is that what you want?" He asked, his voice quiet. I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly becoming interested in my shoes. I nodded slowly and he walked up to me. "You just had to say so."


	10. Chapter 10

**Mama Who Bore Me – Spring Awakening**

"Max, what's sex?" Angel asked me. I gulped. I had been trying to avoid this conversation for nine years and it was _not_ something I wanted to talk about with the little girl I raised. I wanted her to stay innocent for the rest of her life… but I guess it's better to know than to screw up.

"Well, Ange, that's… something you'll know when you're older." I copped out, not ready to answer, no matter how much safer and informed Angel would be if I told her.

"Come on, Max! If you don't tell me, I'll ask Nudge!" She threatened. My eyes widened, thinking of the rambling Nudge would go into about the subject. That was the exact opposite of how she should find out.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked.

"Because Iggy was talking about you, Fang, and sex. He said something about Fang 'scoring.' Max, is sex a game?" She asked. My face turned bright red with anger and embarrassment.

"IGGY!" I yelled.

"Come on, Angel!" Iggy groaned, laughing, and ran away.


End file.
